The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Diesel engines combust diesel fuel and air to produce power. The combustion of diesel fuel produces exhaust gas that contains particulate matter. The particulate matter may be filtered from the exhaust gas using a particulate filter (PF). Over time, the particulate matter may accumulate within the PF and may restrict the flow of exhaust gas through the PF. Particulate matter that has collected within the PF may be removed by a process referred to as regeneration. During regeneration, particulate matter within the PF may be combusted.
Regeneration may be accomplished, for example, by injecting fuel into the flow of exhaust gas upstream from the PF. One or more catalysts may be arranged upstream from the PF. The combustion of the injected fuel by the catalysts generates heat, thereby increasing the temperature of the exhaust gas. The increased temperature of the exhaust gas may cause the particulate matter accumulated within the PF to combust.